Holiday Toy Drive and Santa lift spirits of young patients

By Miriam Rossi

Santa and choir are joined by some staff members of Baptist Children’s Hospital.

Holiday joy was contagiously spread to the patients at Baptist Children’s Hospital’s Kendall campus on Dec. 20 by the Miami-Dade County Permitting and Inspection Center’s Holiday Toy Drive accompanied by Santa Claus and choir.

Toys were donated generously by employees of the Miami-Dade County Permitting and Inspection Center and were distributed by Santa to the patients who ranged in ages from infants to teenagers.

Even in these tough economic times, there were 200-plus toys donated by employees. Accompanying the toy distribution was the cheerful singing of the holiday choir to uplift spirits of these young patients. This annual visit to Baptist Children’s Hospital by the Permitting and Inspection Center is facilitated through the coordination of dedicated nurses and hospital staff.

Toys also were donated to the county’s Annual Toy Drive organized by Miami-Dade County’s Community Action and Human Services Department. There also were toys donated to the Children’s Home Society of South Florida (a United Way of Miami-Dade impact partner).

The Miami Dade County Permitting & Inspection Center, located at 11805 SW 26 St., annually conducts a holiday toy drive with Santa and choir along with a variety of numerous community service projects.